Trainings
Trainings
Make your communication more effective and strategic

We don’t just help scientists find their voice – we help them use it. COMPASS pairs fundamental skill building with strategies and connections to drive impact. Working with us, you’ll gain communication tools you can use right away and the confidence to speak about your work.

Upcoming workshops
Open for registration
Writing with the Message Box
Writing with the Message Box
In this 3-hour virtual workshop, we’ll support you as you plan out how you’re going to strategically share your key messages in your writing, so that you can achieve your communication goals.
Ethical Space: Indigenous Engagement for Environmental Science Professionals
Ethical Space: Indigenous Engagement for Environmental Science Professionals
Learn how to transform your relationships with Indigenous partners through the practice of Ethical Space, a powerful conceptual framework designed to support the reconciliation of Indigenous and western worldviews in order to co-create a just and vibrant future.
Introduction to Risk Communication
Introduction to Risk Communication
In this 3-hour workshop, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the science behind risk communication and learn how to apply those insights to help your audiences make more informed decisions about their health, safety, and the environment.

Our Team
Trailblazers in science communication
COMPASS is the trusted partner for scientists that want their work to make a difference. Our team has potent connections in the journalism and policymaking worlds, a passion to support scientists to share their insights beyond their peers, and deep knowledge about environmental topics. We understand the complexities of public discussions and decision making, and will help you consider how, when, and where your science is most relevant, and who you talk to. We bring our experience, insight, and social capital to the table to help you achieve your communication goals.
Signature Workshops
Customizable trainings
Please note that most COMPASS events are currently being held virtually.

Getting Started: Virtual Message Box
Do you want to talk about your research in a way that will make people lean in and listen? Honing your message and illustrating a few key points will help you start meaningful conversations. Perfect for virtual groups, this training session provides an introduction to the Message Box, our signature tool to distill your science down to what matters most. COMPASS staff guide you through the Message Box and facilitate hands-on practice and small group feedback sessions with your peers via webcam. Lots of discussion, activities, and built-in breaks keep everyone engaged and invested throughout the virtual workshop. ...Read More

Strong Foundations: Building on the Message Box
Ready to find and share the relevance of your research? It’s not just about skills, but about your strategy and goals. Our Strong Foundations workshops provide a deeper dive into the science behind effective communication and additional insight into preparing for conversations with specific audiences that you want to reach. You’ll get plenty of hands-on practice sharing what you do, what you know, and why it matters, in clear, lively terms. ...Read More

Communication in Context: Our Flagship 1-Day Workshop
All communication happens in context. This workshop is designed to build your group’s understanding of that context as you develop core messages and practice sharing them in conversation. We bring in highly-regarded journalists and/or policymakers to provide you with a window into their world and give direct, personal feedback on your messages. These subject matter experts get to know you, and your work, at a level that isn’t typically possible....Read More

Communication for Impact: Our Flagship 2-Day Workshop
Communicating with purpose can change the world. This workshop builds on everything in our one-day ‘Communication in Context’ workshop, and adds up to a day of activities designed to help you identify your communication goals and develop your plan for achieving them. We bring in highly-regarded journalists and/or policymakers to provide you with a window into their world and insight into how your work can best be shared there. These subject matter experts give direct, personal feedback on your messages and your plan for sharing them....Read More
Contact Us About Training
We’re constantly innovating to better meet the needs of the scientists we work with. Wondering whether we can create something that’s just right for your group? Please contact us at trainings@COMPASSscicomm.org.
Tools & Resources
Online resources
Check out our Tools & Resources page for materials and blog posts that give you a preview of what to expect when you work with COMPASS — including a downloadable version of the Message Box, our signature tool to distill your science down to what matters most.